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The Legend of Zelda : Ocarina of Timewas a defining moment for the franchise and fan . It showcased a whole novel mode ofZeldagame that would later be expanded upon in ways no one could have imagined . Today , theZeldaseries blow nearly 30 game across its original title and remake , all of which have become beloved classic that still hold up . Much of this love for both the individual experiences and the series itself comes from their power to altogether immerse players in a world and journey unlike any other .
However , the longer the serial move on , the more it stagnate , at least in certain surface area . It ’s resulted in players calling forremakes of the classics , for a return to a more nostalgic time , rather than looking forwards to what the series could become . For a while , it has felt likeBreath of the WildandTears of the Kingdomrepresent the peak of what the franchise feel capable of . Fortunately , that is n’t stringently dead on target , asThe Legend of Zeldastill has a lot exit to offer the world , especially if it makes one fundamental variety to its iconic place setting .
Ocarina Of Time & BOTW Transformed Zelda Exploration
They Revolutionized Hyrule
The Legend of Zeldaseries has remained for the most part iterative across its many entries , at least when it come to its setting . Hyrule , while a diverse and richly detailed positioning , has remained at the center of theZeldafranchise for decade , undergo minor change and iterations with each entry , but always preserve a sense of familiarity . This has meant that fans have turn as customary to Hyrule as they have to Earth itself , now having great respect and understanding of its refinement , landmarks , story , and even topography .
However , there have been a few exception where Hyrule was altogether renewed , make player a new view on it and prepare it feel altogether new , despite share the same landmark as it always has . The two notable example areOcarina of Time , the first 3DZeldagame that came to establish what Hyrule looked like , andBreath of the Wild , the biz thatrevolutionized the entireZeldafranchiseas well as Hyrule as a localization . Both games offer buff something whole new without merely altering the landscape more or less .
The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time was the first 3D Zelda game . While the series has since descend a long fashion , I ’m worried it ’s leaving too much behind .
Both plot completely redefine what aLegend of Zeldaexperience was , whether it was by completely shifting the dimensions in which Hyrule function and existed , or by significantly expand its exfoliation and helping to flesh out blank that were antecedently mere pixels . However , outside these examples , Hyrule has always felt the same , even when it has undergone some important cosmetic adjustment . This has even been the case with the subsequentZeldaSwitch releases , leave players to believe that the Switch 2won’t get itsBOTWmoment .
Hyrule Is Familiar, Even When It Changes
It’s Always The Same Setting
Perhapsthe best example of an iterative Hyrule rather than an innovative one isTears of the Kingdom’smulti - superimposed offering . It greatly flesh out the world first introduced inBOTWby adding swim islands - like those seen inSkyward Sword- and a complex labyrinthian cave arrangement that ran beneath the total function . Much likeTOTK’sbest features , a lot of its version of Hyrule feel like an extension service ofBOTW’srather than an entirely new interpretation of it . This led toTOTK’sexploration feeling a short disappointing as so much of it had already been experienced before .
Other games , such asWind WakerandSkyward Sword , take a more ambitious advance to ingeminate on Hyrule . In the case ofWind Waker , Hyrule was all submerge , pull up stakes only the most recognizable landmark and a fistful of raw location allow for to explore . However , despite these high-minded changes , Hyrule always feels familiar , a location change by metre , but nevertheless with its core features still ingrain within it .
A sequel to The Legend of Zelda : binge of the Kingdom would profit from many gameplay tweak , but this one feature could amend exploration .
The modification made to the location were enough to make those experiences memorable , and certainly a step above something like the recentSpider - Manseries - and arguablyBOTWandTOTK- which merely repurpose locations , albeit with some extra features . However , forZeldato succeed on the Switch 2,it needs to take drastic steps to dispatch this gumption of familiarityand , likeOcarina of TimeandBreath of the Wild , offer something fan have never seen before . It is definitely time for theZeldaseries to stimulate off its Hyrule luggage and switch options .
A New Setting Could Reinvent Zelda’s Sense Of Discovery
It Could Give The Series Its Sense Of Wonder Back
Much of what has defined theZeldaexperience arguably since its origin , but certainly in its recent entries , is that sense of exploration and wonder . A considerable amount of that is derived from the surround and the many ways that Nintendo gives to the instrumentalist to interact with it . However , when that environment is the same every time , no matter how many coats of paint are slathered on top , it can get repetitious and the sense of discovery and wonder is lost .
The Legend of Zelda ’s execution of the Gerudo language in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is impressive , but it could be better .
That ’s why it ’s significant for theZeldaseries to switch locations every once in a while , as it helps keep the experience feel clean . However , perhaps more importantly than that , it allows the creative squad behind theZeldaseries to further human body out its mythos and traditional knowledge , introducing novel eccentric , race , and history that fans can fully immerse themselves within . It ’s a chance not just for a renewal , but also to flex those originative musculus and show there ’s far more to theZeldalore than just Hyruleand its luscious grassy landing field .
Of course , previous games have done this , such asLink ’s Awakening- which took player to a different island - andSkyward Sword . In fact , everyZeldagame has , to some extent , flesh out the humanity and traditional knowledge . However , with theSwitch 2 ’s improved capability , Nintendo can craft a far more challenging world and narrative than ever before , making this the perfect opportunity to exposit the series ' skyline even further . Switching emplacement at this point can really help give the Switch 2 its definingZeldaexperiencein a room that Hyrule simply can not .
Whatever the nextZeldagame is , if it wants to have itsOcarina of TimeorBOTWmoment , it needs to reclaim that sense of discovery , and the good way to do that is to give player something fresh to discover .
While theLegend of Zeldashould always return to Hyrule , it ’s effective to attempt out fresh locations every so often . The ability to offer players new localisation they could never have imagined , new races they ’d never dreamed of meeting , and newfangled stories they ’ll remember eternally is a rare opportunity Nintendo should take . Whatever the nextZeldagame is , if it need to have itsOcarina of TimeorBOTWmoment , it needs to reform that sense of discovery , and the best means to do that is to give players something unexampled to discover .
Custom Image by: Tom Wilson
